Game apparatus.



NO. 743,820. PATENTS!) NOV. 10, 1903.

- M. 3. BROWN.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 6.- 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SH ET. 1.

Nmnmzo. PATENTED Nov. 10, 1903.

' I M. s. BROWN.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 6, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

N0 MODEL.

flvewar, 7%622 A M Patented November 10, 1903;

' PATENT OFFICE,

MILTON S. BROWN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GAM E APP ATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters .latent No. 743,820, dated November 10, 1903. Application filed February 6 1903 Serial No. 142,182; No model.)

To all whom it TIMI/y concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON S. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented newand usefullmprovementsin Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to games, and has for its object to primarily provide a novel construction of the same embodying a watertank containing one or more floating missilesand means for impelling the same consisting of one or more dirigible air-blasts requiring more or less skill on the part of the operator or operators thereof to properly direct the missile or missiles thereby in an attempt to locate said missile or missiles in an appointed goal or goals. r

The said invention also embodies certain minor novel features of construction, as will be hereinafter more definitely pointed out and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form of construction. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the nozzles and its supporting-standard, illustrating a modified construction of air-supply means.

Similar numerals of reference denote, as far as possible, corresponding parts in the several views.

In the said drawings, referring particularly to Fig. 1, the reference-numeral 1 denotes an open-topped water-tank, the same having its side walls united near the front end by a semicircular vertical partition 2 and having its rear straight end 3 divided by means of the partitions or projections 4 into a series.

of pockets or goals, the same consisting of a central goal 5, having straight parallel side walls, and side goals 6 and, 7, each provided with outwardly-rounded sidewalls, as shown,

Mounted in the extended base of the structure centrally at the front end thereof and just outside the partition 2 is a vertical hollowsta'ndard 8, adapted to removably receive therein a stem 9, carrying a horizontally-disposed nozzle 10. Said stem 9 carries at its lower end a horizontally-projecting directinghandle 11, the standard 8 being vertically slotted at 12 to permit the insertion ofsaid stem and handle therein, and horizontally slotted at 13 to permit the rotation of said stem and handle therein, as will be readily understood. Attached to the outer end of nozzle 10 is a flexible tube 14, terminating in a mouthpiece 15, whereby a blast of air may be blown through said nozzle by the operator. Extending along each side of the tank and just above the level of the upper edge of partition 2, which is preferably a little lower end thereof, so as to discharge its blast thereinto. In order to prevent a rotation of the nozzle 10 past either of the tubes 16, I preferably extend one side of each of the latter at 17 into a guard, against which the side of said nozzle will contact to'register it accurately, though it will be understood that said guards 17 may be formed separate and attached to the ends of said tubes 17 if desired. The tubes 16 each extend through the rear wall of the device and are then bent angularly toward each other and are each branched into two tubes 18 and 19, the branches 18 terminating each in an opening 20, located in the rear wall at its adjacent side goal and just above the water-level, the opening 20 of the left-hand branch 18 lying in goal or pocket 6, While that of right branch 18 lies in goal or pocket 7. The branches 19 of said tubes 16 terminate in openings 21, lying side by side in the central goal or pocket 5 and on a level with openings 20.

From the above description the manner of playing my improved. game will be understood to be as follows: The tank is filled with water almost to the level of the upper edge of partition 2, and a plurality of floating missiles, preferably in the shape of boats, is dropped thereinto at about the center of the body of water. The object now to he accomplished is by means of an air-blast impelled through nozzle 10 from the mouth of the operator or otherwise to cause all of said missilos to locate within the central goal 5 alone.

The dirigibility of nozzle 10 permits the missiles to be reached in any part of the tank; but the flaring mouths of goals 6 and 7 as compared with the narrow entrance to goal 5, as well as their location, renders an en trance of the missiles thereinto very much more probable, a result to be avoided, as the location of any of the missiles within said goals 6 and 7 at the expiration of a given time limit will count against the score of the player, while those located within goal 5 will count to his credit. The object of tubes'16 is by means of an air-blast directed therethrough from nozzle 10 to drive out of goals 6 or 7 any missiles that may be blown therein.

It will be observed, however, that by reason of the branching of tubes 16 substantially one-half of the air impelled therethrough will be blown out through openings 21 in central goal5, thus causing any missiles that may have been previously located in said goal to be also displaced therefrom, and hence care must be used not to undo results previously accomplished, thus materially adding to the hazard of the game. By making the boats or missiles of different sizes, as shown, and assigning to them different values a further variation in the play may be obtained, while by locating a goal-line, as shown at 22 in Fig. 1, the degree of success at the expiration of the time limit may be more accurately determined. Thus missiles completely across the goal-line and within the goal 5 will count full value for the player, thdse similarly located in either goal 6 or 7 will count full value against the player, while those part way across said line will count half value either fororagainst the player, according to whether they are within the domain of winning goal 5 or losing goals 6 and 7.

I have shown in Fig. 3 a somewhat modifled construction whereby two players may contend in opposition to each other. In this instance the two ends 23 of the tank are similarly rounded and two nozzles 10 are employed, a single goal 2% being located centrally at each end of the tank and underlying its nozzle. Now by using a single missile much amusement will be afforded two players in attempting to prevent the entrance of the missile into his underlying goal and at the same time endeavoring-to impel said mis-- sile into his adversarys goal.

By constructing the tank circular and dis posing aplurality of three, four, or more nozzles and goals equidistant around the same the number of contestants may be increased, as will be readily understood.

I have shown in Fig. 4 a modified construction of air blast means for the nozzles, the same consisting of a hand-bulb 25, which may be used instead of the mouthpiece 15.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A game apparatus, consisting of a tank adapted to contain a liquid, one or more misvaasao silesv adapted to float on the surface of the liquid in said tank, one or more goals or pockets in the edge of the tank, and a dirigible nozzle located in a fixed position at substantially the edge of said tank for conveying and directing an air-blast to impel the missile or missiles toward said goal or goals.

2. A game apparatus, consisting of a surface having boundaries, one or more missiles movable on said surface, a plurality of goals or pockets, a dirigible nozzle in a fixed position for conveying and directing an air-blast to impel the missile or missiles toward said goals or pockets, and means for conveying said air-blast when desired to impel said missile or missiles away from said goals or pockets.

3. A game apparatus, consisting of a tank adapted to contain a liquid, one or more missiles adapted to float on the surface of the liquid in said tank, a plurality of goals or pockets in the edge of the tank, a dirigible nozzle located'at substantially the edge of the tank to convey and direct an air-blast to impel the missile or missiles toward said goals or pockets, and means for conveying said airblast when desired to impel said missile or missiles away from said goals or pockets.

4. A game apparatus, consisting of a tank adapted to contain a liquid, one or more missiles adapted to float on the surface of the liquid in said tank, a goal or pocket located centrally in one end of said tank, one or more goals or pockets on each side of said central goal, a dirigible nozzle located at the other end of the tank to convey and direct an airblast to impel said missile or missiles toward said goals or pockets, and fixed tubes leading to and opening to the rear of said goals or pockets with which said nozzle is adapted to register, whereby the air-blast may be directed to blow said missile or missiles away from said goals or pockets.

5. A game apparatus, consisting of a tank adapted to contain a liquid, one or more missiles adapted to float on the surface of the liquid in said tank, a centrally-located goal or pocket in one end of said tank, a lateral goal or pocket on each side of said central goal or pocket, a pivoted nozzle at the other end of the tank to convey and direct an airblast to impel said missile or missiles toward said goals or pockets, and a tube on each side of said tank with one open end of which said nozzle may be rotated to register, and each branched and opening at its branched ends behind the central goal or pocket and behind its adjacent lateral goal or pocket, whereby the air-blast impelled therethrough will divide and discharge into the central goal or pocket and also into its lateral goal or pocket.

6. The combination with a tank adapted to contain a liquid, and one or more missiles adapted to float on the surface of said liquid, of a nozzle for conveying an air-blast to impel the-missile or missiles, a depending stem to said nozzle, a handle on the lower end of said ICO stem parallel with said nozzle, and a standmy hand in the presence of two subscribing ard mounted in fixed proximity to the edge witnesses. of the tank and adapted to receive said stem, said standard being slotted vertically and MILTON BROWN 5 horizontally to accommodate said handle and Witnesses:

- permit lateral movement thereto. EDWIN S. OLARKSON,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set PERCY B. HILLS. 

